THE NEW OLD PATH BY RABBI BENJI LEVY CEO Of Mosaic United
Righteousness vs. SelfRighteousness
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n its description of the priests, the Torah discusses their unique status, one that differentiates them from ordinary people. In order to sanctify their particular role, limitations are placed on their appearance and on their participation in certain aspects of the Jewish life cycle such as marriage and burial. Only two chapters before this, the entire Jewish nation is also ennobled with the task of being holy, in this case without any limitations: ‘Be holy, for I, the Lord your God, am holy’ (Lev. 19:2). Here, the Jewish people are clearly instructed to be holy, and to emulate the holiness of God, which is by definition limitless. It is therefore strange that just two chapters later the Torah presents the priests with a subtly different message: ‘They shall be holy to their God and they shall not desecrate the name of their God; for the fire offerings of God, the food of their God they offer, so they must remain holy’ (Lev. 21:6). This unique command to the priests alone contains the additional requirement of directing their holiness 64
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‘to God’ and predicates the command on their Temple service. What is different about this command and the one that the entire nation received? Every individual deserves to be treated with dignity. As it says in Tractate Avot, ‘Who is considered to be respectful? He who respects all the creations’ (Mishna, Tractate Avot 4:1). Beyond this elementary level of respect, however, individuals in certain roles are treated with additional levels of deference. One can be worthy of respect, for example, if born into a position of nobility or royalty, or one can earn esteem through noteworthy achievements. While the Jewish people are inherently holy and are commanded to behave in a manner that reflects being created in the image of God, the priests hold an elevated status, which is suggested by the restrictions placed upon their behaviour. They play the unique role of the ambassadors of God to the Jewish people, and the ambassadors of the Jewish people to God. Therefore, they are not only afforded a higher level of respect and commanded to behave
